Infant seat in ambualnce question

I remember reading somewhere that infant seats (out of their) bases, were safest secured in the captain's seat of the ambulance. Although I realize that there is truly no safe place to secure such a seat, if there is no other alternative, is there any foundation for this?

I do recall reading something of this nature in the Bull report, that stated something to the effect of securing seats in the captain's chair. (This was non-specific to infant seats) Furthermore, given the more secure anchor points of the belts, and the secure anchoring of the seat, wouldn't this provide a more secure placement of the seat?

I understand that the dual belt path, and secondary securing is a better choice, I am wondering, if there is any foundation for what I recall?

Thank you

Hi, as you said, there really is no perfect way to secure a car seat in an ambulance. And as far as I know, there is no approved way to install automobile carseats in an ambulance, with the possible exception of a forward facing or a booster seat in the front passenger's seat (with the driver). Obviously not an option if the child is a patient, and not really safe either in front of an airbag.

if by the captain's seat you mean the rear facing paramedic's seat in the back of the ambulance, I've heard of paramadics securing a forward facing car seat in it (its actually rear facing though because the seat is rear facing) when the patient being transported was stable, but with an infant seat the only belt path would have the infant seat facing forward.

If you mean when the infant is the patient a lot of paramedics I know will strap the car seat on the gurney using the gurney's seat belts through the car seat's belt paths, but I believe this is more secure with a FF/RF combo seat with two belt paths.

And finally sideways facing seats aren't safe for anyone; the human body is not designed to flex sideways the way it is from front to back.

This thread has a lot of good information that should be very helpful:

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=115024&highlight=ambulance

I'm an EMT and we secure infant seats to the stretcher facing the rear of the ambulance using the belts on the stretcher. So far I've only done it once. The other time we transported a baby, the mother didn't have a seat and she held him on her lap while she sat on the stretcher. Convertible seats do go in the captain's chair facing the rear of the vehicle installed using the forward facing belt path since the chair faces the rear.

A baby/child who is unstable would not be in a seat at all.

Anytime a baby or small child is transported by ambulance, there is no really good way to restrain them. Same goes for adults really. We're doing the best we can with what we've got.

Convertible seats are safest, according to the only crash testing I know of, secured in the rear-facing mode, on a stretcher, using both belt paths, facing the rear of the ambulance. Infant seats are done the same way but using only one belt. The stretcher is elevated to 45 degrees.

It is good to remember that ambulances aren't involved in as many crashes because of trained drivers and high visibility. but yes, we just have to do what we can, the best we can.

My DD2 has had two ambulance rides. The first time (2008), the infant transport ambulance installed her MA on the stretcher. The second time (2010?), she was transported via regular ambulance in a Ferno Pedi-Mate. The Ferno thing was pretty neat. But I don't know if it would have fit her well on the first ride (she was about 20lbs the first time, but not quite 1). It could have had something to do with the severity of the call. The first ride was for severe anaphylaxis. the MA kept her airway at a nice angle.